¶In the one hundred seventy-second year,^* King Demetrius gathered his forces together, and went into Media to get help, that he might fight against Tryphon.

When Arsaces, the king of Persia and Media, heard that Demetrius had come into his borders, he sent one of his princes to take him alive.

He went and struck the army of Demetrius, and seized him and brought him to Arsaces, who put him under guard.

¶The land had rest all the days of Simon. He sought the good of his nation. His authority and his honor was pleasing to them all his days.

Amid all his honors, he took Joppa for a harbor, and made it an entrance for the islands of the sea.

He enlarged the borders of his nation and took possession of the country.

He gathered together a great number of captives, and took control of Gazara, Bethsura, and the citadel, and he removed its uncleannesses from it. There was no one who resisted him.

They tilled their land in peace, and the land gave her increase, and the trees of the plains gave their fruit.

The old men sat in the streets; they all conversed together about good things. The young men put on glorious and warlike apparel.

He provided food for the cities and furnished them with means of defense, until the glory of his name was known to the end of the earth.

He made peace in the land, and Israel rejoiced with great joy.

Each man sat under his vine and his fig tree, and there was no one to make them afraid.

No one was left in the land who fought against them. The kings were defeated in those days.

He strengthened all those of his people who were humble. He searched out the law, and every lawless and wicked person he took away.

He glorified the sanctuary, and added to the vessels of the temple.

¶It was heard at Rome that Jonathan was dead, and even in Sparta, and they were exceedingly grieved.

But as soon as they heard that his brother Simon was made high priest in his place, and ruled the country and the cities in it,

they wrote to him on brass tablets to renew with him the friendship and the alliance which they had confirmed with his brothers Judas and Jonathan.

These were read before the congregation at Jerusalem.

¶This is the copy of the letters which the Spartans sent: ¶“The rulers and the city of the Spartans, to Simon the high priest, to the elders, the priests, and the rest of the people of the Jews, our kindred, greetings.

The ambassadors who were sent to our people reported to us about your glory and honor. We were glad for their coming,

and we registered the things that were spoken by them in the public records^* as follows: ‘Numenius son of Antiochus, and Antipater son of Jason, the Jews’ ambassadors, came to us to renew the friendship they had with us.